G.4 – PPEA

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fol. 9v (cont.)

PassusB 3

ow ys mede the meyde and no mo off theym all

wyth bedeles and baylyffes broght before the kyng

the kyng called a cler{e}keT I know not hys name

to take mede þe meyden & make hyr att easse

I shall assey hyr my-selfe & sothlyche apposen

watt man vpon mold that hyr were le{u}vest

and yff she worche by my wytt & my wyll folowe

I wyll forgy{u}ve hyr thys gylt so me god helpe

co{u}vrtyslyche the clerke then as the kyng hyght

toke mede they meydeLG & broght hyr In-to chambre

and there was myrth & mynsteralcye mede for to pleasse

they that wonnen att westmynster worshypen hyr all

gentyllych wyth Ioy the I{u}vsteces came

busked theym to the bowre there the byrd dwellyth

to comforten hyr kyndlych by clergyes ley{u}ve

and sayd morne noght mede ne make þou no sorowe

for we wyll wysse the kyn{g}dlyeP and thy way shape

to weddenT att thy wyll & were thy le{u}ve lyketh

For all conscyence cast / or crafte as I trowe

myldlych mede then r{.}emercyed theym all

off theyr greyte goodnes and gaffe them echonne

c{ou}vppesP off cleyne gold and peces off syl{u}ver

rynges wyth r{u}vbyes and rychesses many

the leest man off theyr menye a moton off gold

then laght they le{u}ve / thys lordys at mede

wyth that comen clerkes to comforten hyr the same

& bydden hyr be blyth for we be thye owen

for to worche þi wyll þe wyle we may last

hendelychP she then byhyght them the same

to lo{u}ven theym leally and lordes to make

and In constorye at the co{u}vrte do call theyre names

shall no lewdnes let þe lede / that I lo{u}ve

that he ne worth furst awa{u}vnced for I am well knoen

there konnyng clerkes shall clokken byhynde

then cam there a confessor coped as a frere

to mede the meyden he mo{u}vthed thes wordes

and sayd full softlye In shryft as ytt were

thoght lewde men & lered had lyen by the bothe

and falsnes had folowyd þe þisT fyftye wynter

fol. 10r

C I shall assoyle the my-selffe for a seyme off weyte

and also be thy beydman & beyre well thy message

amongest knyghtes & clerkes conscyence to torne

then mede for hyr myssdedes to that man kneled

and shroove hyr off hyr {sr} shrodenes shameles I trowe

told hym a tale & toke hym a noble

For to {byn}beP hyr beydman & hyr ba{u}vdP after

then he assoyled hyr sone & sythen he seyde

we{he} / P ha{u}ve a wyndow In glasyng wolle sytten vs {heye}in hie costP

woldest þou glasse that gable & gra{u}ve therynne thy name

syker sh{u}vld þi so{u}vle be hey{u}ven to ha{u}ve

wyst I that quod that wommanP I wold not spare

For to be your frend frere & Fayle you neuer

wyle ye lo{u}ve lordes that leychery havnten

and lacke no ladyes that lo{u}ve well the same

It ys a freylte off flesshe ye Fynd ytt yn bokys

and a co{u}vrs off kynd wheroff we coemmen all

wo may skape the {sklandre} P sklandre þe schathe ys sone amendyd

ytt ys synne off the sey{u}ven þe sonest relessed

ha{u}ve marcy quod mede off men that ytt havnten

and I shall couereP your kyrke your cloyster do maken

walles do wythenLX and wyndowes glasen

do peynten & portrenLX & pay for the makyng

that euery segge shall sey I am s{u}vster off yo{u}vr ho{u}vse

but god to all gode men suyche wrytyng defendyth

to wryten In wyndowes off theyre{yll dedes} well dedys

for pryde ys pentyd there & pompe off the world

and cryst knoyth thy conscyence & thy kynd wyll

and thy coste & thy co{u}vetyse & wo the catell ought

forthy I lere you lordes le{u}veth s{u}oyche workes

to wryten In wyndowes off your well dedes

or to greden after godesmen when ye deyle doles

In auent{u}vre ye ha{u}ve yo{u}vr hyre here & yo{u}vr hey{u}ven hals

Nesciat sinistra quid faciat dextra et cetera

let not thy left hal{u}ve late ne rathe

wytt wat ye worcheth wyth the ryght syde

For thysLX byddyth the gospell good men done þer almes

me{r}yres & macesLX that meynes be betwene

the kyng & the comm{u}vnesT to kepe the lawes

to pu{n}vnysshen / pu[n]nysshen on pylloryes & pynyng stoles

fol. 10v

brewsters & baksters bochers & kokes

for thes are men on thys mold þat most h{u}vrte worchen

to the pore people that percellmeyle beggenLG

for they poysen the poeple pryuyleche & oft

they rysen thr{u}vgh regratrye & rentes them byggen

wyth that þe poere poeple sh{u}vld p{u}vtt In theyre wombes

For tooke they {..}notP vn-truely T they {the} tymbred not so hye

ne boght no b{u}vrgagys by þeP certeyne

but mede the meyde þe meyre hath besoght

off all s{u}oyche sellers syl{u}ver to take

or presentes wyth-oute pence as peces off sil{u}ver

rynges or other rycheses regratyers to meynteynge

For my lo{u}ve quod that ladye lo{u}ve theym echonne

& s{u}vffer theym to sell somedeale a-geynst reyson

salomon the sage a sermon he made

to amend meyrys & men þat kepe lawes

and told theym thys teeme þat I tell thynke

Ignis deuorabit tabernacula eorum qui libenter accipiunt munera

amongest thes lettered men thys laten ys to meyne

that fyre shall fall & brenne all to blo asshes

the ho{u}vses & hoomes off theym that dysyren

gyftes or yers gyftesT be ca{u}vse off theyre offyces

he kyng from the covncell cam & called after mede

and dyd seeche hyr swythe wyth sergeantes many

that broghte{n} hyr to bo{u}vre wyth blysse & wyth Ioy

courtyslyche the kyng gynneth to tell then

to mede the meyde mo{u}vthed thes wordes

vnwyttyly woman wroght hast thow oft

but wors wroghtest þou neuer then when þou fals tooke

but I forgyve þe that gylte & gra{u}vnte the my grace

from hennesP to thy detheday do thowT so no more

I ha{u}ve a knyght conscyence cam late fro byȝonde

yff he wyll the to wyffe wyll thow hym ha{u}ve

P {ye}yea lord quod þat ladye ..P lord Forbed elles

but I be hoolye att your heste then hangieLG me sone

& thenT was conscyence called to come & appere

before þe kyng & hys covncell clerkesT & other

knelyng conscyence to the kyng he lo{u}vted

to wytt wat hys wyllP were & wat he do sholde

wylthowe wedde thys woman yff I wyll assente

she ys Fayne off þi Felawshyppe for to be thy make

quod conscyence to the kyng cryst ytt me forbyd

er I wedde s{u}oyche a wyffe / wo me betyde

fol. 11r

for she ys Freyle off hyr Faythe fykell off hyr speche

& maketh men mysdo many score{ways} tymes

In tr{u}vst off hyr treas{u}ore betreaythe full many

wyffys & wydowes wantennes teychyth

& lerneth theym leychyrye that lo{u}ven hyre gyftes

your father she Falled thr{u}vgh fals beheyste

and hath poysoned popes and peyred holye ch{u}vrche

Is nat a better bavde by hym that the made

betwene hey{u}ven & hell In yerthe thogh men soght

for she ys tykell off hyr tayle talwys off hyr tonge

as comen as þeT carte-way to ych knave that walkethe

to monkes to mynstreles to meyselles In hegges

sysours & somnors suyche men hyr preysen

shre{u}ves were shent yff she ne were

for she doth men lese theyr land & theyr ly{u}ves bothe

she lettyth pas prysoners & paythe for theym offt

& gy{u}vyth the gaylo{u}vrT gold & grotes to-gedder

to vnfetter the fals flee where hym lykyth

& taketh the tr{u}ve by the toppe & tyethe theym fast

and hangeth theym for hatred that harme dyd neuer

to be c{u}vrsed In constoryeT she covnteth not a beyne

for she copeth þe comyssarye & cotethe hys clerkes

she ys assoyled assone as hyr-selffe lykethe

and mey nygh as moche do In a moneth ones

as your secrete seale In syxscore / syx score days

For she ys pry{u}vye wyth þe pope pro{u}vyso{u}vrs ytt knowen

For syr symonye & hyr-selfe sellenLX the b{u}vlles

she blessyth thes bysshopps thoght þei be lewde

pro{u}vendrethe persones & prestes meynteynnyth

to ha{u}ve lemmanes & letebyes / l[o]tebyes all theyr ly{u}ve dayes

& bryngen forth barnes ageynst forbyden lawes

there she ys wele wyth the kyng wo ys the realme

for she ys fa{u}vorable to fals & fo{.}vletheP tr{u}vethe offt

by IesuP wyth hyr Iewelles yo{u}vr I{u}vstecece she shendyth

and lyeth ageynest þe law & letteth hym the gate

þat Fayth may noght ha{u}ve {hys}hereP Forthe / flo{.}renzys go so thyke

she leydyth the lawe as hyr lyst & lo{u}vedayes maketh

& doth men lese thr{u}vgh hyr lo{u}ve that lawe myght wynne

the mase for a meyne man thogh P he mooteT e{u}verC

fol. 11v

law ys so lordlyche and lothe to maken end

wythowten presentes or pence she pleasethe well fewe

barons & bugeysys / bu[r]geysysLG she bryngyth In sorowe

and all þe comm{u}vne In care þat co{u}veyten to ly{u}ve In tr{u}vght

For clergye & co{u}vytesse she cowpleth to-gedders

thys ys þe lyfe off that ladye / now lord gy{u}ve hyr sorowe

& all that meynten hyr men mychance / my[s]chance þem bytyde

for poere men may not pleyne þem allthogh they smerte

s{u}oyche a master ys mede amonge men off good

then morned mede & me{n}vedT hyr to the kyng

to ha{u}ve space to speke speede yff she myght

the kyng granted hyr grace wyth a good wyll

exc{u}vse the yff þou canst I can no more seggen

For conscyence acc{u}vsethe þe to cong{u}vereT the for e{u}ver

nay lord quod that ladye le{u}veth hym þe worse

when ye wytt wytterly where the wronge lyggeth

ther þat myscheffe ys greyte mede may helpe

& þou knowest conscyence I cam not to chyde

ne depra{u}ve thy persone wyth a pro{u}vde herte

well þou wast warned {b..}P but yff þou wold gabbe

þou hast hangen on my hal{u}ve eley{u}ven tymes

and also gryped my gold &T gy{u}ven ytt where þe lyked

& why þou wrathest þe now wondre me thynke

yet I may as I myght menske the wyth gyftes

and meyntenge þi manhood more þen thow knoest

but þou hast famed me Fo{u}vle before þe kyng here

for kylled I neuer no kyng ne conseled ther-after

ne dyd as þou demest I do ytt on the kyng

In normandy was he noght noyed for my sake

but þou þi-selffe sothly shamedest hym offt

crope In-to a cabyne for cold off thye neyles

wendest þou that wynter wold ha{u}ve lasted euer

& dredest to be deyde for {a}P a dymme clowde

and hyedest homward for honger off þi wombe

wyth-owt pyte pylo{u}vr poere men thow rob{e}bdestLG

& bare theyr bras onT thy backe to caleys to sell

there I lafte wyth my lord hys ly{u}ve for to sa{u}ve

I made hys men merye & mo{u}vrnyng lett

fol. 12r

I battred theym on the backe & bolded theyre hertes

and dyd theym hoppe for hoope to ha{u}ve me att wyll

had I bynne marcyall off hys men by mary off hey{u}ven

I dorste ha{u}ve leyde my lyfe & no lesse wedde

he sh{u}vld ha{u}ve bene lord off that land In lenght & yn breyde

& also kyng off þat kyth hys kynne for to helpe

the leest brolle off hys blo{u}ode a barouns pere

cowardlyche þou conscyence co{u}vnceyldest hym thence

to ley{u}ven hys lordshyp for a lyt{u}vll syl{u}ver

that ys the rychest realme that reyne ouer-ho{u}vethe

ytt becommyth a kyng that kepeth a realme

to ge{u}ve mede to men þat mekelych hym ser{u}ven

to alyens & to all men to honore þem wyth gyftes

mede makyth hym belo{u}ved & for a man holden

empero{u}vrs & {el} erles and all maner lordes

for gyftes ha{u}ve yong men to renne & to ryde

the pope & all the p{l}relates presentes vndrefongen

and medethe men hym-sel{u}venT to meyntegne hys lawes

sergeantesT for theyre ser{u}vyce we see well þe sothe

take mede off theyr masters as þei mowe accorde

beggers for þer beddyngT bydden men mede

mynstrelles for þer myrthe mede they aske

the kyng hath mede off hys men to make peas In land

men that teychen chyldre cra{u}ve off theym mede

prestes þat preychen {chyldre} the poeple P {t}toP good asken mede

& masspence and theyre meyte att the meyle tymes

all craftyesT men cra{u}ven mede for theyr prentyces

marcheantes & mede mote nede go to-gedders

no wyght as I wene wyth-o{u}vte mede may ly{u}ve

quod þe kyng to conscyence by cryst as me thynketh

mede ys well worthy the mastry to ha{u}ve

nay quod conscyence P to the kyng & kneled to þe yerthe

there are too maner medes my lord wyth your ley{u}ve

that on god {g} off hys grace gra{u}vnteth In hys{br} blysse

to tho that well worchen / wyle þei bene here

the profette preychyth theroff & p{u}vtt ytt In the sawter

fol. 12v

domine quis habitabit In tabernaculo tuo & cetera

lord wo-so dwelleth In thy blysse & wyth thyn holye seyntes

or resten In thy holye hylles thys asketh da{u}vid

& dauid assoyleth ytt hym-selffe as the sawter tellethe

qui Ingreditur sine macula et operatur Iusticiam

tho that entren off on colo{u}vr & off on wyll

and hath wroght workes wyth ryght & wyth reason

and he þat vseth noght þe lyffe off vs{u}vrye

and enfo{u}vrmethe poere men & po{u}vrsueth tr{u}vght

qui pecc{u}vniam suam non dedit ad vsuriam / vsuram/

et munera super Innocentem non accepit /

& all that helpen the Innocent & holden wyth þe ryghtfull

wyth-owte mede dothe theym goode & the tr{u}vght helpyth

s{u}och maner off men shall ha{u}ve þis f{u}vrste mede

off god att greyte nede when they gonne hence

there ys a-nother mede meys{u}vrles þat maystres desyren

to meyntegne myssdoers mede they take

and theroff sayth the sawter In a salmes ennde

In quorum manibus Iniquitates sunt

dextra eorum repleta est muneribus

and he þat grypyth hyr gold so me god helpe

shall abyen ytt bytterlye or the booke lyethe

prestes & persons that pleysyng desyren

that take mede & money for masses þat þei syngen

taken theyre mede here as mathew ws teychythe

amen amen dico vobisT recipiebant mercedem suam .

that laboren as low folke taken off theyre masters

ytt ys no maner mede butt a meys{u}vrable hyre

In marchandyse ys no mede I may ytt well awowe

ytt ys a perm{u}vtacyon a peny for a-nother

but reddest þou neuer regum thow recrayed mede

why þe wenIance fell on sa{u}vlle and hys chyldren

god sent to sa{u}vl by sam{u}vell the proffette

that agag &T a{m}nnales & all hys poeple after

sh{u}old dye for a dede that done had theyre eldres

forthy seyd sam{u}vell to sa{u}vl god þe hotethe

the be buxome at hys byddyng hys wyll to fulffyll

wend vn-to amales & þat þou fyndest þer sley ytt

b{u}arnes P & bestys b{u}vrne theym to dethe

wydowes & wy{u}ves wommen & chylderen

mo{u}vebles & vnmo{u}vebles & all þat þou may fynd

brenne ytt beyre ytt noght a-way be ytt neuer so ryche

fol. 13r

For mede ne for money looke thow dystroye ytt

spyll ytt & spare ytt noght thow shalt spede the better

and for he co{u}veytyd theyr catell & the kyng spared

Forbare hym & hys beystes both as the byble telletheT

other-wyse then he was warned off the profette

god sayd to sam{u}vell that sa{u}vl sh{u}vld dye

and all hys seede for that synne shamf{u}vllyche ende

s{u}oych a myschefe mede made {sale} sa{u}vl þe kyng to ha{u}ve

that god hatedC hym for euer & all hys heyrs after

the colo{u}vr off thys case kepe I not to tell

In auent{u}vre ytt noyed men no{n}we end wyll I make

for so ys thys world wente wyth theym þat ha{u}ve poyeare

þat wo-so seyyth the sothestT ys sonest blamed

I conscyence know thys for kyndwytt ytt me taght

that reason shall reygne & realmes go{u}veren

and ryght as agag had happen shall some

sam{u}vell shall sleyne hym & sa{u}vl shalbe / shal be blamed

and dauid shalbe / shal be dyademed & da{u}vnten þem all

and on crystyen kyng kepen theym all

shall no more mede be master as she ys nowLX

as lo{u}ve & lownes & loyalte to-gedders

thes shalbe / shal be masters on mold tr{u}vght for to sa{u}ve

& wo-so trespaseth to tr{u}vght or takyth ageynst hys wyll

loyalte shall p{u}vt hym lawe & no lyfe eles

shall no sergeant for hys ser{u}vyce weyre a sylken howue

ne no pylo{u}vrLX In hys cloke for pleydyng atthe / at the barre

mede off mysdoers maketh many lordes

and ouer lordes lawes rewlethe the realmes

but kynd lo{u}ve shall come & conscyence to-gedders

and make off law a laborer suyche lo{u}ve shall ryse

& s{u}oyche a pea{s}ce amonge the poeple & a perfett tr{u}vght

that I{u}ves shall wene In theyre wytt & wax wondres glad

that moses or messyas be coemmenP In-to the yerthe

and ha{u}ve wondre In theyre hertes that men be so trewe

all that beyren baselard brode sworde or launce

axe other hacchett or any weypen elles

shalbe / shal be demed to dethe but yff he do ytt smythye

In-to sykell or to sythe to share or to c{u}vltre

conflabunt gladios suos In vomeres & cetera

eche man to play wyth a plo{u}vgh pykes or spades

spynne or spreyd donge or spyll þem-selffe wyth slo{u}vghe

prestes & persons wyth placebo to h{u}vnte

& dyggen vp-on dauid eche day to end

fol. 13v

h{u}vntyng or ha{u}vkyng yff any off theym vse

hys boost off hys benefyce worthe benome hym after

shall neyther kyng ne knyght constable ne meyre

o{u}vere-leyde the comm{u}vne ne to the co{u}vrte somonde

ne put theym In pannell to done theym plyght þer tr{u}vght

but after þe dede that ys done on dome shall rewarde

mercy or no mercy tr{u}vght wyll recorde

kynges co{u}vrte & comen co{u}vrte constoryeT & chapyterT

all shall beene but on co{u}vrte & on baron be I{u}vstece

then worth trew tonge a tydye man þat tened me ne{u}ver

battayles shall non be ne no man beyre weypen

& wat smyth þat {..} any smythyes be smyten to dethe

non leuabit gens contra gentem gladium et cetera

and er thys fort{u}vne fall fynde men shall the worste

by syx sonnes & a shyppe & hal{u}ve a sheyffe off arowes

& the mydell off a mone shall make the I{u}ves t{u}vrneT

and sarazenes for þat syght shall synge gloria In excelsis

For machomete & mede mysshape shall that tyme

For melius est bonum nomen quam duitie / d[i]uitie multe & cetera

as wrooth as the wynde wexe mede In a wyle

I kanne no laten quod she clerkes wottP the sothe

see what salomon seyyth In sapyence bokes

that they that gy{u}ven gyftes þe vyctor{e}ye wynnen

and moste worshyppe had therwyth as holye wrytte tellethe

honorem adquiret qui dat munera et cetera

I le{u}ve quod conscyence that thy laten be trewe

butt þou arte lyke a ladye that redde a lesson on{es}ce

was omnia brobate / [p]robate & that pleased hyr well

for þat leefe was no lenger att the leyfys end

had she loked the other hal{u}ve & the leyfe tor{n}vnedLG

she sh{u}old ha{u}ve fonden fellT LX wordes folowyng þer-after

quod bonum est tenete trught that texte made

and so fared yeP madame ye co{u}vld no more fynde

to ye loked on sapyence syttyng In yo{u}vr st{u}odye

þis texte þat ye ha{u}ve tolde were good for lordes

but yeT fayled a connyng clerke þat co{u}vld þe leyfe torne

for yff ye seke sapyence {.}P efte fynd shall ye þat folowythe

a full tenefull texte to theym{e} that taken mede

and that ys animam autem aufert accipientium et cetera

and that ys þe tayle off the text off þatT sheT shewyd

that thogh we wynne worshyppe & wyth mede ha{u}ve vyctorye

the soule that þe sowed taketh by so moche ys bonde

explicit quartus passus de visione

◂

sa{u}vl{e}C

a profycye

▸

G.4.3: The use of clere for clerc is not unusual for this scribe see, e.g., G.6.556, G.8.77, G.9.20, though Kane and Donaldson consistently read clerc, with final <c>.↩

G.4.10: Use of "they" for "the" (as in G they meyde) is recorded by LALME in Warwickshire and Wiltshire (LALME 4, item 1 and p.315), but the form here may just be a back formation influenced by the G scribe's occasional use of the for weak they; see Introduction III.1.↩

G.4.17: Kane and Donaldson argue that the reading here is kyng altered from kyndlye, picked up from two lines above. However, examination of the colours of the ink makes it clear that the <g> is original. Note particularly the way in which the last few letters of kyndlye have had to be squashed in. Thus it is clearly the corrector who has made the mistake here. The uncertainty, if any, concerns the intended replacement, since the <l> and the <y> occupy the same horizontal space, though one is below and one above the line.↩

G.4.18: An active rather than a passive infinitive (i.e. "wed," as G, rather than "be wedded," as remaining B manuscripts) is found in all C manuscripts (although a number have "wend" rather than "wed").↩

G.4.22: The corrector originally changed the as well as the <o> of coupes to a <v> but the resulting ascender of the second <v> has been semi-erased and a descender added to form a .↩

G.4.29: A superscript <e> has been written above and just to the right of the <d> of hendelych in the same ink as the main body of the text (this has been transcribed as the second <e>). In addition, there appears to have been a later attempt to improve the loop of the <d> in blacker ink. ↩

G.4.39: All A manuscripts share the G F reading þis (for remaining B manuscripts al þis).↩

G.4.40: A pen change occurs here (newer and sharper).↩

G.4.46: The script of added be is more angular than that used by the original scribe and it seems probable that it the addition was made by WH (see, e.g., marginalia at ff.69v and 70r.↩

G.4.46: The change from to <v> resulting in bavd is in a different ink from that of similar changes and the form of the <v> is more elaborate.↩

G.4.48: It is impossible to be certain whether the original here read whe or who.↩

G.4.48: The script used for added in hie cost is more angular than that normally used by the original scribe, and seems to be closest to that of WH. See Introduction I.10 and I.12.↩

G.4.51: The final stroke on the <n> of womman appears to be a flourish rather than a final -<e>.↩

G.4.57:The scribe originally omitted the <l> of sklandre, added it but then decided to delete and rewrite the whole word. ↩

G.4.60: The final <e> of couere may have been re-outlined.↩

G.4.61: The spelling wythen may be an error (the Bx reading is "whiten"), but given the large number of possible spellings for "white" (including forms with <th> for <t>) this cannot be assumed. See OED white, a.↩

G.4.62: The form portren may possibly be an error for purtraye (the majority B reading) but the existence of a past participle portred="portrayed" (see MED portred ppl.) suggests that G's may well have been a legitimate form of the infinitive.↩

G.4.76: G's thys may be simply a variant spelling of "thus" (the reading of remaining B manuscripts). See LALME 4.315, and note similar spellings at G.14.435, G.16.148, G.16.302, G.19.415, G.20.156.↩

G.4.77: The G form maces may result from the omission of the abbreviation for er (cf. the majority B reading maceres), but note that mace can mean "a mace-bearer," see OED macen.2 2.b., where the earliest recorded example is in 1525.↩

G.4.78: All A manuscripts except N Ra K J have the plural "commons" (as G O C2 F). Remaining B manuscripts have the singular.↩

G.4.82: The G Hm form beggen (for remaining manuscripts buggen) may simply be a variant spelling of "buy," but confusion with "beg" is clearly possible.↩

G.4.86: Kane and Donaldson read the word overwritten with not as "on" but this is not at all clear. ↩

G.4.86: The addition of un- to original truely brings the G reading into correspondence with that of H. Remaining B manuscripts read trewly. A number of A and C manuscripts also include the word "untruly."↩

G.4.87: Kane and Donaldson take G's reading to be "ye" rather than þe. However, although <y> and <þ> have the same form in G, the scribe does not normally have superscript <e> where a <y> is intended. See the scribal alteration to G.4.351 and note.↩

G.4.101: Kane and Donaldson's reading of G at this point (yersgyues rather than yers gyftes) is incorrect.↩

G.4.110: The script of the added from resembles that found in the note at the top of on f.106v. For other marginal additions by hand2 (i.e. "WH"), see marginalia on ff.69v, 70, 71, 72v, and 103.↩

G.4.110: The majority of A manuscripts share the G H reading do thow (for most manuscripts do).↩

G.4.113: The word ye has been crossed out and "that" written in the margin and then partially erased. The word yea has then been inserted in the text. It seems likely that the incorrect marginal that has been written by hand2 (see material of 106v, which appears to have been written by "WH" who initials marginalia on ff.69v, 72v, and 103, and see also ff.70 and 71).↩

G.4.113: The reading in F (oure Lord) suggests that the illegible addition which follows G's ladye may perhaps be intended to represent some form of "our."↩

G.4.114: For the main scribe's treatment of class II weak verbs, see Introduction III.4.3. The corrector has presumably consulted the scribe's exemplar.↩

G.4.115: G's original reading (without &), which is the reading adopted by Kane and Donaldson, corresponds to that of H and to the reading of all A manuscripts and all C manuscripts except Mc. Remaining B manuscripts share the corrected G reading.↩

G.4.116: All A manuscripts except J K La share the G H reading (clerkes rather than as clerkes), and this is the reading adopted by Kane and Donaldson.↩

G.4.118: The apparent double point (like a colon) following wyll does not appear to be intentional.↩

G.4.133: All A manuscripts except U (which reads a) and D J (which omit) as well as all C manuscripts except Dc share the G H reading þe, which is adopted by Kane and Donaldson. Most B manuscripts read a.↩

G.4.139: A number of A manuscripts, together with Cp share the G F H reading gaylour. Remaining B manuscripts have the plural.↩

G.4.134: The G B R F reading constorye is simply a spelling variant of the majority B reading consistorie. Equivalent spellings are found in all A version manuscripts and in all C manuscripts except Rc (where ci has been added in another ink).↩

G.4.149: Although the G scribe was clearly aware that single and double consonants could be used to indicate preceding long and short vowels, his practice in this respect was by no means consistent (see Introduction III.2), and it is therefore possible that, in G's case, the shared G H reading sellen (for most manuscripts seleth="seal") is simply a spelling variant.↩

G.4.155: The change to <v> which results in fovlethe is clear, but it is difficult to be certain of the original - possibly a <w>?↩

G.4.156: The G scribe often appears to use superscript <a> , as here, as a general mark of abbreviation. See Introduction IV.1.1.↩

G.4.158: Added here is in black ink. The spelling is not that usually employed by the G scribe for "her" (he normally has hyr), and moreover the G scribe does not normally use long <r> plus flourish to indicate -re- (the only examples are at G.3.68 and G.6.269 where the <r>s appear to be later additions; see notes to these lines). It therefore seems probable that this addition has not been made by the original scribe and the more formal and upright script resembles that of WH (i.e. hand2). See marginal notes by WH on, e.g., ff.69v and 72v.↩

G.4.161: The virgule present at this point is intended to separate the words thogh and he, i.e. it is not a metrical mark.↩

G.4.161: Nearly all A and C manuscripts share the G F reading moote, which is adopted by Kane and Donaldson. Most B manuscripts read mote hir.↩

G.4.161: Something very faint has been written at the bottom of the page: m or iii followed by S, h or 8.↩

G.4.164: For G's spelling bugeysys, see also also G.16.211.↩

G.4.171: The G corrector regularly replaces both and <n> with <v>, hence G meved, for most manuscripts mened. Cr shares the G reading, which Crowley probably drew from a G-related manuscript. See Introduction II.2.1.2.↩

G.4.175: G's reading conguere was presumably intended to be a form of "conjure" or conceivably "conquer," with the <y> of remaining B manuscripts congey misread as long <r>. ↩

G.4.181: The original here may also have been but, crossed out and rewritten because it was blotted.↩

G.4.183: All A manuscripts except J La E N Ma share the G B F reading gold &, which is adopted by Kane and Donaldson. Remaining B manuscripts lack &.↩

G.4.194: This letter (<a>) may have been rewritten because the original was blotted.↩

G.4.197: Though the G scribe's use of double and single consonants is a somewhat unreliable guide to the length of the preceding vowel, he was clearly aware of the practice of using a double consonant to indicate a preceding short vowel (see Introduction III.2) and it seems likely that this alteration was made for this reason.↩

G.4.197: All A manuscripts except La and K share the G H reading on (for remaining B manuscripts at).↩

G.4.217: The majority of A manuscripts have some form of "himself," as G Bm, and this is the reading adopted by Kane and Donaldson. Most B manuscripts have some form of hem-seluen.↩

G.4.128: The B manuscripts are divided between "servants" and "sergeants," as are the C manuscripts. The majority reading in A is "servants."↩

G.4.220: The G reading beddyng may just be a spelling variant of remaining manuscripts biddynge. See note to G.3.56.↩

G.4.224: Examination of ascenders and descenders and the direction of loops suggests that the scribe picked up "chyldre" from the previous line.↩

G.4.224: The corrector adds a virgule after poeple in order to separate words. It runs through the original <t> of "to" and an extra <t> has therefore been added.↩

G.4.226: Note the similar correction of craftye to craftys at G.7.70.↩

G.4.231: The <c> in the middle of conscyence merges with the <s> and can only just be discerned as a separate letter. ↩

G.4.259: The G Hm reading amen amen dico vobis results from correction in Hm (the addition of dico vobis over an erasure). F H read Amen dico vobis. Remaining B manuscripts read Amen amen.↩

Initial <s> of original saul is cropped.↩

G.4.267: The original O reading & (a reading shared with G Cr1 and F) has been corrected to of (the reading of remaining B manuscripts) by the original scribe.↩

G.4.272: A line has been added in brown ink closing the top of the of burnes so that it now reads barnes. Even so, this could still be just a spelling variant of "burns"="men," although it seems more likely that the word has been misinterpreted as "barns" (for housing the beasts).↩

G.4.279: The majority of A manuscripts share the G F reading tellethe (for most B manuscripts witnesseth).↩

G.4.284: Though the <a> of hated is touched in red ink, there is no reason to think that this was intentional.↩

G.4.288: A high proportion of C manuscripts read sothest (as G W), although in no case is the preceding word the. Most B manuscripts read hem sothes.↩

G.4.295: As far as G and Cr are concerned, the G Cr C2 H reading now for most manuscripts nouthe may well be a matter of date, since forms in -<th> died out at the beginning of the sixteenth century. See OED nowthe, adv.↩

G.4.301: G's reading pylour may simply be an alternative spelling of Bx pelure="fur" (the OED records the spellings pillour and piloure) but possibly the scribe misinterprets as the similar word meaning "plunderer," "robber," "thief," and if that is the case pylour is presumably thought of as a person paralleling sergeant in the previous line.↩

G.4.308: The abbreviation mark for the first <m> of coemmen is an odd bar, curling from the top of the <m> over what appears to be a very small <e>.↩

G.4.326: A scribe has drawn a flag-like sign in the left-hand margin. This sign also appears in the Table of Contents see f.101v, and is clearly intended to enable the reader to find the passage referred to in the Table. As Benson and Blanchfield observe (Manuscripts, 42) there is a tendency for such marks to occur next to references to prophecy. See Introduction I.10.↩

G.4.326: The G R F reading constorye is simply a spelling variant of most manuscripts consistorie. See also G.4.143. All C manuscripts share the reduced spelling.↩

G.4.326: The majority of C manuscripts share the G Cr reading chapyter (for most B manuscripts chapitele).↩

G.4.334: C shares the G R F reading turne, which is adopted by Kane and Donaldson. Remaining B manuscripts read to torne.↩

G.4.339: The second, added <t> of wott, which is in brown ink, makes use of the extended cross-bar of the original <t>.↩

G.4.348: The corrector has probably erred here (reading the first <n> of original tornned as a ) but the result (torvned) is a possible Middle English spelling.↩

G.4.349: The reading of G and Cr, i.e. fell (which is clearly correct), is adopted by Kane and Donaldson. Remaining B manuscripts read fele.↩

G.4.349:It is not clear that the G scribe recognised the distinction between fell and fele, since he normally writes <fell> for fele="many" (see variants at G.10.77, G.11.222, G.11.402 etc.). That fele could be confusing for him is clear from G.16.336, where he interprets it as the verb "to feel," and there may well be other occasions where he reads it as the adjective "fell"= "fierce, deadly" etc., though this seems less likely in lines such as G.14.319, (where the reading is "felefold") and G.14.329 (where the reading is "fele times").↩

G.4.351: The scribe initially wrote superscript <e> but then crossed it out and replaced it with online <e>. Given the scribe's usual practice, it seems likely that the superscript version would imply an initial thorn, and would thus have resulted in the reading "the" rather than "ye." See note to G.3.118.↩

G.4.354: In the case of Hm, ye (as G F) is written over an erasure. Most B manuscripts read ȝow.↩

G.4.355: The deleted letter may possibly an <o>; note that Cr reads <oft>.↩

G.4.357: The readings þat (as G Hm Bm) and þat þat (as most B manuscripts) are both unsatisfactory. Kane and Donaldson adopt the reading þat teme. See The B Version, 201 for their comments.↩

G.4.358: In the case of M, the reading shared with G Cr1 W Hm H (i.e. she) appears over an erasure. Most B manuscripts read ȝe.↩